CLEVELAND - 1970: Pete Maravich #40 of the New Orleans Jazz attempts a shot against Dick Snyder #10 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during a 1970 NBA game at the Richmond Colisieum in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1970 NBAE (Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images)

Rubio is a 17-year-old backup point guard for Spain. He plays pro ball in the very tough Spanish ACB League, has since the age of 14. They call him La Pistola.

Maybe Rubio is the reincarnation of Pistol Pete. Same long (Maravich was 6-foot-5, Rubio 6-4), skinny, loose-jointed frame; same slouchy, lazy-shuffle walk; same dark, mop-top hair, same prominent nose.

Most jarring of all - same eyes. Maravich had large, dark eyes, turned down at the corners. The eyes were sad, but penetrating and wary. Pistol had the eyes of a gunslinger walking into a saloon, expecting trouble.

Appearances aside for a moment, a burning question in the basketball world is not whether Rubio is a Maravich look-alike, but whether he is a Pistol Pete play-alike.

Spaniard Pepe Sanchez, who played two seasons in the NBA, calls Rubio "a freak of nature."

If Rubio is the real deal, the basketball world will explode in hype and hysteria when the kid hits the NBA two or three seasons from now.

Quick history lesson: Maravich is the all-time leading Division I scorer - averaged 44.2 points per game for LSU, 1967-70. He played 10 NBA seasons, led the league in scoring once (31.1 ppg in 1976-77), was an All-Star five times.

But Maravich's career, like his life, was dark. He was mired on bad teams, a knee injury cut him down in his prime, and he dealt with serious demons, including alcoholism.

Maravich, eight years retired, died at 40 of a congenital heart abnormality that had not been diagnosed. A few years before his death, he had found peace in religion.

In life and in death, Maravich had a monstrous aura.

He was an unrepentant showman in an era when hotdogging was considered a sin against nature. Many saw him as a selfish gunner, but nobody before or since passed the basketball with such dazzling creativity.

That was the Pistol. Here is La Pistola:

Rubio is either the best basketball player in the world outside of NBA, or merely the most exciting, or both.

Ricky, the name he wears on the back of his uniform, is basketball's first YouTube legend, with a worldwide cult following inspired by video clips posted on the Internet.

You can cue up a moment from two seasons ago, title game of the Euro under-16 tournament, in which Ricky had 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists, 7 steals.

Last season with his Spanish pro team was Rubio's breakout season, I'm told, when he went from phenom to force.

NBA insiders say if Rubio opts to enter the 2010 draft, he will go no lower than No. 3.

Coming into its game against Angola (1:45 a.m. PDT today), Spain was 3-1, second in its group to the U.S. - but it hasn't been easy for the Spanish team, and not everything comes easy to Rubio. But in his first live appearance on the world stage, he has shown flashes.

Playing only eight minutes a game, Rubio easily leads his team in steals, 10 in four games. In 18 minutes against the U.S., he had eight points, three steals and four turnovers.

Shortly after entering the game, Rubio stole the ball from LeBron James. Later, Rubio threw a no-look alley-oop pass for a dunk, but he was far from polished.

First impression, La Pistola is no Pistol. Rubio doesn't have Maravich's scoring ability or range, almost certainly never will. Maravich could get off a shot against anyone, any time.

Rubio plays more defense than Maravich did, though it's a scrambling, gambling defense.

Similarities:

Love of the dramatic pass. To Maravich, the crazy, showy pass had a purpose - light up the crowd, fire up his teammates. Rubio, who is shielded from interviews, is quoted as saying, "If I can do some magic (with a pass), I do it."

And Rubio has those same haunted Pistol Pete eyes.

I interviewed Maravich twice, the last time about a week before he died. No athlete I've ever interviewed had that look, as if he were about to confide in you the secret of life.

Maybe it's random chance that La Pistola has those same sad, wary eyes.

But Rubio's eyes solidify his link with Pistol; they are twins who were never on the planet together. You'll hear a lot more about La Pistola.